Piper PA 18-150 N8979D

Summary

On 11 August 2014 at about 01:30 local time, a Piper PA 18-150 registered N8979D, operated by Williams Steven C, was involved in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 August 2014 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

62.1578, -150.1597

Aircraft

Piper PA 18-150

Registration

N8979D

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Williams Steven C

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Talkeetna → Anchorage

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC14CA063

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilots excessive use of the airplanes brakes during the landing roll, which resulted in a nose over. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the training flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was receiving instruction in a tundra tire equipped tailwheel airplane. He stated that this was his first time operating an airplane equipped with heel brakes. Although not proficient, the pilot did possess a tailwheel endorsement. He reported that on taxi he had difficulty reaching the heel brake pedals, and had to physically remove his feet from the rudder pedals in order to apply the brakes. While landing at an off-airport site, during the landing roll the airplane veered slightly to the left and the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder and left lift strut. The pilot reported that during the landing roll he did not apply the brakes. During his initial call to the National Transportation Safety Board the flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Due to the pilots inexperience with heel brake tailwheel-equipped airplanes and his difficulty applying the brakes, it is likely that the pilot inadvertently applied to much brake pressure as the airplane neared the end of the landing roll and subsequently nosed over.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.